The very best of Carnatic singing

BANGALORE: Despite the frequent power failures and unsupportive weather, seasoned singer Sanjay Subramanyam entranced one and all for about three hours at Unnati Kendra while performing for Sri Guruvayurappan Bhajana Sabha Trust during the Sabha’s 34th Gokulashtami celebrations.  He was as imposing as well grounded.Natural talent coupled with unremitting diligence seems to have invested on Sanjay an artistic excellence which may well be the envy of the finest of our young vocalists. In his presentation of ragas like Nayaki (Kanugonu Sowkhyamu), Navarasa Kannada(Vande sadaa Padmanabham with swaras), Mukhari(ragalapana, Karubaaru), Rama Priya(Sringara Shaktyayuda Sharavanasya Daasoham, Dikshitar, tagged with raga, neraval and swaras)and Shahana(Vandanamu Raghunandana), that evening one could not say if any department of Carnatic singing betrayed any trace of infirmity.Singing in the happy company of S.Varadarajan(Violin), Neyveli Venkatesh (mridanga) and Rajashekar(morsing) Sanjay’s sound technique and vast expertise furnished the staunch purity of the form. A constant dialogue between the dominant notes of the ragas was the outstanding feature of his expositions. It was pleasing to here a less heard raga Ramapriya and the krithi in it. Opening Kanakangi atatala varna was weighty. Mohana(Narayana divyanamam) was the main item.Purandaradasa’s Ninne nammide was rewarding. He was at his best in the rendition of a raga, tana and pallavi in Karnataka Devagandhari raga with ragamalika comprising of Bhairavi, Begada,Sreeranjani, Kedaragowla and Khamach. Sanjay delighted the audience with Virutham, Thirupugazh and ragas like Behag, Suruti, Hamsadhwani etc.Dazzling BharatanatyamA petite and cute nine year old dancing girl Agnika Ajaykumar came out to be a successful and a visually arresting Bharatanatya performer. Her dazzling performance at the Ravindra Kalakshetra was marked by radiating presence, enviable slim figure, articulated limb movements and dramatic freezes. Though a couple of missed ardhamandalis, she made a powerful impression on the audience with her agility and confident demeanour.Trained by an efficient dance Guru Sridhar Jain of Mysore’s Sri Nimishamba Nrithya Shaale, Agnika’s sustained geometry of lines was a notable feature of her performance. The Shiva Tandava was packed with vigorous movements securely bound by a taut laya. In a racy tempo Dasa’s Hari kunidaa namma unfurled the Child Krishna myth in a vivid manner. Agnika became one with that Baala Krishna. The abhinaya artistry in the dance came out in the spirited and sensitive depiction of Navarasas.The piece de resistance of Agnika’s recital was the Todi varna(Roopamu joochi). It was a short and sweet presentation. But it was compact and comprehensive too from the points of view of nritta, nrithya and abhinaya. The finer aspects of nritta got exposed in the varied aduvus, tattu mettus, utplavanas and intricate teermanas.Her skilful abhinaya came handy in the sketching of the beauty of Lord Shiva. Thus Agnika’s hold over the technique of Bharatanatya stole the show.  Her abhinaya for a vachana(Kala beda kola beda) in the post interval session was communicative. The concluding Natha Bhairavi tillana got us to see some artistic rechikas, neck movements and jathis. Guru Sridhar Jain’s nattuvanga was inspiring and rhythmically taut. Rajeshwari Pandit(vocal) and other artistes from Mysore and Shimoga provided a complementary support without being invasive of the dancer’s space. Herself a good dancer Roopashri was the artistic anchor of the programme.[email protected]